Australia Deploys Skylark UAVs to Iraq

Skylark IV mini-UAV On Wednesday, DID noted the popularity of the RQ-11 Raven mini-UAV in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the interest in American UAVs and doctrine among other Western armies. That article also included mini-UAV announcements by the Canadians and British. Now Australian Defence Minister Sen. Robert Hill has said that 4 of Elbit Systems’ Skylark IV mini-UAVs will be deployed to Iraq, where they will assist the second rotation of the Al Muthanna Task Group (AMTG2). He also said the Government was investing more and more on research and development of unmanned vehicle technology for use in future operations and for surveillance purposes. So, what’s the Skylark IV? The Skylark IV is a man-pack system for close range, over the hill surveillance and reconnaissance. It is slightly larger than the RQ-11 Raven, with a wingspan of 2.4 meters (8 feet), a mission endurance of two hours, and payloads that can include a color television camera and a thermal sensors, providing gimbaled and stabilized payloads for day and night observation. The mini-UAV weighs 5.5 kg (about 12 pounds) and can reach a speed of 40 knots, with a mission radius of between 5-10 km (3-6 miles). The Skylark can undertake […]